Causal loops for analysis of the social dimension to complex systems

Abstract

Better methods of analysis and communication are needed to analyse civil engineering and environmental systems that have a social dimension. Causal loops are examined as a way to improve analysis. Opposition to landfills is developed to show the role that causal loops could provide in social/technical systems analysis. The example leads to a conclusion that public access to an on-line database of monitoring data could help reduce opposition. Causal loops are highlighted as one way in which we can reorganise our thought and use a new language to analyse our increasingly complex civil engineering and environmental systems.

Keywords:

• influence diagrams
• cause–effect
• landfill
• NIMBY
• social opposition

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge the support of the NZ-EU Opt-ALI exchange programme that allowed the author to conduct much of the work for this paper. The author also wishes to acknowledge the kind support of the Operations Research Group, Department of Management Engineering, Danish Technical University.